Spring governor



Sept. 16, 1930. E. c. AUSTIN 1,775,841

sPRiNG eovanuoa Filed Jan 11. 1927 Tic. l

p INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 16, 1930 ERNEST C. AUSTIN, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA SPRING GOVERNOR Application filed January 11, 1927. Serial No. 160,336.

- This invention relates to a device for'use with springs formed of a plurality of leaves. The invention may be applied in any instance where it is desired to support a load upon springs, and is particularly adapted to vehicles of all kinds, but more especially to automobiles. The present invention appertains to means for damping the action of springsby reason of increased weight being 1 applied or by reason of a suddenly applied load tending to produce adeflection of rel..- tively great I amplitude.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a device which acts upon the leaves of a spring'to press them together in yielding frictional contact and to vary the-pressure in correspondence directly with the amplitude of flexure, so as to check the action of the spring as the flexure is in- -creased and to prevent the sudden reaction or rebound of the load.

These objects together with other objects and -corresponding accomplishments are obtained by means of the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing a frag- 'ment of an automobile frame. constituting the load supported by a semi-elliptic spring .resting'upon an axle shown in section; Fig. .2 is a section as seen on the line 22 of Fig. ,1; on an enlarged scale; Fig. 3 is a section as seen on the line 33 of Fig. 2 showing a fragment of the spring; and Fig. 4 is a. side view of a frame of an automobile, a semi-elliptic spring and a modified form of my invention. 1

Referring. more particularly to Figs. 1, .2, and 3 a portion of the frame of an automobile is indicated by 5. .Secured thereto in the usual manner is a semi-elliptic leaf spring '6. This is the usual and, common automobile construction, an axle is indicated byv 7 and istattachedto the spring'by means of clips 8. V V

Disposed between the axle and the end of the spring isa clamp 9; The particular clamp shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 is of H shape havingthe lower leg ending in eyes 10,, the eg-being bent at an angle. The u per end of the legs are threaded to receive nuts 11. Extending across the top of the spring is a bar 12 opposed to and arranged to co-operate with the middle bar 13 of the clamp. The clamp is disposed over the leaves of the spring to embrace and hug the same, the side legs serving the usual function of spring clips to prevent lateral dis placement of the leaves and the bar 13 resting against the end of a leaf. The bar 12 may be adjusted so that pressure may be exerted to hold the leaves of the spring together in yielding frictional contact. Obviously the clamp being fulcrumed upon the spring by canting or tilting the clamp upon the spring, the pressure between the leaves may be varied. A feature of this invention is to vary this pressure in correspondence clam A is assed u wardl and across the top to the other side of the spring; thence downwardly and through an eye in clamp B. The stay is bent and flattened at the top, passing under the clips 8 so as to seat on the spring. between the other eyes in the clamps A and The tie rods cross one another upon the top of the spring. On the ends of the tie rods are nuts 16 and between the nuts and the eyes are compression springs 17. The nuts provide for adjustment and the spring for resilient connection of the stays to the clamps.

Upon the spring movingdownwardly, due to a load, the leaves tend to straighten and the rods bend swinging about a fulcrum at the center of the spring. The axis of pivotal movement of the tie rods is different from that of the springs with the result that upon fiexure of the springs, there is a differential A similar tie rod 15 extends CTI the amount of fiexure, the greater theclainphave a differential longitudinal movement V ing action tendingto bind the leaves together. With relation"thereto, saidstay being n- I This results in a stifiening of the springs nected to said clamp to operate the latter n t'owardthe end of 'the amplitude of their correspondence with the. -flexure of said V movement; This Will prevent the springs 'sprin to progressively vary-said force 1 7 1 from bending sufficiently to'allow the frame 3; in combination with a ,VQhlCleSPIlIlg to stri'lie 'th' 'bilfiferson the 'axl e'whieha'r e e'omprising a prinsalit ofie'avesweia nphaw usuallyprovided.v At the beginning/0f the 'in'g nienibe'rsto embraceandhiigcertam of I bendingofthe' spring, it has great'resilieney saidleaves whereby to exert a compressive so thatiightfloads will .beiakencare of whilet .force for h resistingrelative longitudinal C and fD- 'of ,the' sam'e' constr uctioimre dis-. tiidinally'oif-s'aid spri'n 1 so dittd' by 22 is oumiecr uponan anaemia; toprogressivelynary Stud 451 What I claim-is: i

force for firesisti'n g relative lon'gitiidinal and staysljeiiten ding"ilbfiggit idifiallyf I heavyiloads will notca'iise too'g'rea't flex'are movemefitt'f'Said-leaves; and a stay eXtendof thesprings; Itis obvious that therebonnd; ing longitudinally-of said spr ng. and secured is dampediand checked, the action beingthe theretoat, one end'and to} sa d'c'lamp at the reverse; It Will be notedthatjthe stajrs hold other endto havexa -differential longlt idmal the. clamps in position from moving outmovement with relation to said spring 1n (:0

"lvhereas I haveshowii inFig "*1, 2 and 8 a "particular"Clamp:striict ileiand particular 'ineans "to v'ai-y- -theela1npin g' pressure; "yet '2 other ni'ejan's ay be employed. Afnother em 7' "bodiinenf'oftheinfijentioii'isshoivn inFi'gQ l, wherein a'iitomobileffrain'eis'indicatedby ".18" and; a semi eliiptic spring by 19. i a The 1320 is seated abvethe'springian'delainps 7 posedoverthele'avesi Each clemp om i-ises at oneend andtdsaid c'L p yoke; 21; straddling the "springi with stroller. to have a difierentiallhngi't 1nuntedbnftrunnionsbe Ve'enflth e legsoftlie withrelation to" "*spfiii f yeke-arrd'bemw thesprifigi; Ih'isroHeriim encevirit'h th'effl ureof "is ,'eccentrictofthe periphery 0 the ro lers; 1"51 In combin ti n W Seciired t'o onebf the'trunniond'is arm s ring;jetmpfising'ra 'p111 23 to which is secn'red'la connectihglrddbr "cl mpsen eppoeae gi" y Y stajifiafi iiged' totheframe; 181'} The parts po;-t,,;sa1a"amps; eng are solarrang'ed that fiip'on fiexurii ofl the leaves andex'ertingfc'olnpre 71Sringithesmarterwing-the' rrin '23 resistingrelativelong'itu "and: muse? the roller 22 to-'ti'1rn ;iand-i-tighten said 'lea'iie's; and stays exten against the-leaves .pro'p rtionate toathefiegr any-of end spring" d e eer thespringl Inhorderto prbvi'de:fo'r together so a I "adjustment, ti i'nbiickle 25"is pr "ifided. "naimovem ii tw'vith rfespeetito :Theclainp's' ai'e held'in position o-nthe prin correspondencewiththe-fie "byme n ef set sforei v's 26; varioiis jotlier te' emargpenriin 1y "110 f 'p i 105- reth he. i p;

' clienges' mayfbe liiadeiin the struot *ef with: 6. In combi oiitdepartingfromt e intention. inpris in clamps" on .opposite s1 ".1. Incoinbintion With-a "reh'iel'fspring ppamet-eigm ziiaviri n 'jeonip fising*apliiralityfotleavesflai;clamp 'and hu gfeertainfoif sai 7 hating members to em'bi-a'eeana hiig certain exert 'aZc n'ipfeSsi eforce for? i-resistin' of'said leaves ii herby to exert a compressive rivelongitudin lmovement 6f -i n oveinentofsaiglie ai es; and aKst a-Y extend: s rin amr'iying said clam td tli v "ing'flongitiidinally of Sam-spring and sii'p i ported to have a'differential'longitiidinal movement wait-ma ron" theme, 'msaid stay I being 'connefcted"to said clanipfftooperate the "ing-ly"ya ry jlatter'ih correspondenceWithfthe jfie 'xnre of '7; Iii combination 'said spring.topiogres'siyely.ya y saidfforce; spring sing" I 2;"In eonibination' with: afi hielelf sjfjr'ingfolanips floiirop osites des -of e I comprisingia' pliirali'tyofIeaVesQaQIarrip haifi per-t ea'elizelgs rpiliavingepp "ffi-ng'iopposed meinbers to embraee and hug jeinbraeeand hn ;g taii 1 to 'wiary flthe' eoinpjr essi' i e for'ce; mimete; ertedibetxi e ri saidlea v" 's an staysitfiid- -V is "leaves,'stayeiitendingjlongt "me; lon'gittidinal ditfifi' g V and'l siipp orted tojsaid clamps'itogetherso ve'adifie'refi- 13o fcertaifn of ERNEST G. AUSTIN. 

